Hermiston Bans Medical Marijuana

Hermiston votes to ban medical marijuana dispensaries. Below is the news release from the city:

The ordinance amends the city’s Controlled Substances code to specify that it is unlawful to establish and operate a dispensary within the city. Hermiston’s Zoning Code already states that all uses must comply with all applicable federal regulations and laws. Marijuana is classified by the United States federal government as a Schedule I controlled substance.

The Oregon Health Authority began accepting applications to operate medical marijuana dispensaries Monday, however Oregon Administrative Rule 330-008-1110(2) states that, “registration by the [Oregon Health] Authority is not a guarantee that a facility is permitted to operate under applicable land use or other local government laws where the facility is located.” The OHA application website reiterates that, “the issue of whether a local government believes a certain type of business should operate within one of these zones is a local government decision.”